"Medicine That Burns 900 kcal While Sleeping... Prevents Weight Gain"
Doctors and Pharmacists Falsely Advertise for Profit Purposes
A company that impersonated doctors and pharmacists to advertise diet supplement products has been reported to the Korean Medical Association and the Korean Pharmaceutical Association.
An actor pretending to be a pharmacist introduces a diet product. Despite being an actor, the phrase "approved by pharmacists" was displayed, causing controversy. [Photo by YouTube capture]
On the 30th of last month, the Korean Medical Association and the Korean Pharmaceutical Association announced that they had reported the company to the Supreme Prosecutors' Office on charges including ▲violation of the Medical Service Act ▲violation of the Pharmaceutical Affairs Act ▲violation of the Act on Labeling and Advertising of Foods, for impersonating doctors and pharmacists to advertise diet health functional foods.
The company previously reported had promoted the product online, including on YouTube, claiming that "if you eat this pill after having a late-night snack, you burn 900 kcal even while sleeping." In the video, the actor said, "900 kcal corresponds to three bowls of cooked rice, and even if you eat more than that, you will have a body type that does not gain weight."
Regarding this, the Korean Medical Association stated, "Through media reports, we became aware of the illegal advertisements and impersonation of doctors and pharmacists by the accused, and confirmed that the advertising model appearing in the advertisement was an actor, not a doctor or pharmacist," adding, "We jointly filed the report to protect public health and establish healthcare order."
They continued, "The company cast non-doctors and non-pharmacists in the roles of 'Professor of Family Medicine' and 'Pharmacist at Seoul S Pharmacy' respectively, displaying these subtitles in the YouTube videos to advertise health functional foods," pointing out, "This is a clear act of impersonating doctors and pharmacists."
Furthermore, they criticized, "They deceived consumers by making false and exaggerated advertisements claiming that the health functional food in question has efficacy and effects in preventing and treating diseases or enhancing the efficacy of pharmaceuticals."
"Social trust in healthcare professionals damaged... Requesting strict punishment"
(From left) Yoon Young-mi, Chief of Policy and Public Relations at the Korean Pharmaceutical Association, Lee Jung-geun, Vice President of the Korean Medical Association. They filed a complaint with the Supreme Prosecutors' Office on the 30th of last month against a company that impersonated doctors and pharmacists to advertise diet health functional foods. [Photo by Korean Medical Association]
The Korean Medical Association and the Korean Pharmaceutical Association urged the prosecution for thorough investigation and strict punishment of the diet health functional food companies that deceived consumers with false and exaggerated advertisements.
At the submission of the complaint, Lee Jeong-geun, Executive Vice President of the Medical Association, lawyers Hwang Chan-ha and Oh Su-jeong participated, and from the Pharmaceutical Association, Policy and Public Relations Chief Yoon Young-mi was involved.
An official stated, "This is an incident that greatly damages the social trust in healthcare workers who are still quietly doing their best in the field to protect and promote public health, and furthermore shakes the foundation of healthcare order," expressing concern, "Considering that the advertisements for the product continue to be distributed through YouTube channels and other media, there is a significant possibility that the damage caused by the illegal acts of the accused will further expand."
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
